Various types of outdoor power equipment units are known, including mowers and compact utility loaders, which are operated by an operator who stands on the traction vehicle of the unit during operation. A foot platform is provided for supporting the operator in the stand on mode. Typically, the foot platform is located at the rear of the traction vehicle. In some cases, the foot platform is pivotal between a substantially horizontal, deployed position in the stand on mode and a substantially vertical, storage position in a storage mode or a walk-behind mode.
Some products of this type have a cushioned thigh pad mounted on the rear of the traction vehicle immediately ahead of the foot platform. When the operator is operating the traction vehicle, he or she can rest or lean against the thigh pad with the front of the operator's thighs engaging the thigh pad. This increases the comfort of the operator. However, the Applicants have discovered that conventional thigh pads in prior art devices of this type are not positioned in the most effective way for operator comfort when the unit is being operated in the stand-on mode.
Moreover, if the foot platform is pivotal into a substantially vertical, storage position, the thigh pad mounted on the rear of the traction vehicle can form an obstruction to how tightly or closely the foot platform can be positioned relative to the rear of the traction vehicle. It is desirable that the foot platform when raised into its storage position be as tight or as close as possible to the rear of the traction vehicle. This desirably decreases the length of the unit as much as possible to enhance carrying the unit on a trailer in the storage mode or permits the operator to walk behind the unit as closely as possible in the walk behind mode. The Applicants have discovered that satisfying this latter desire conflicts with the use of a thigh pad on the rear of the unit. It would be an advance in the art to find a way to resolve this conflict. This invention represents such an advance.